Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-10-06

1 AOoAS CAV ~ bAtAAot NAAS SSesNAOhA
agent attended to his duties or sat
| comfortably reading and smoking, the
idiot boy would sit crouchlngly on his
stool and regard Jack with a grave.
| unwavering stare.
''Why do you look at me in that
| manner" Jack asked one day.
s.Dunno, Boobies answered. Some
| times it seems as if I was tryin' to
| think bout some body can't just re-
mmeber."
| Then, as thought seemed to strike
him. he added:
I'm idiot, haint /. JackT'
No." answered the other, with
careful consideration for the foolish
ones feelings.
yes I be. Ever body ust to say
so. They was allus a-kickin' me fer
bein' one. Do folks allus kick idiotsF
They can't help bein' that way, can
they Jack?"
Hush. Bobbles," answered Jack.
| soothingly.
But want to know" the boy per-
sisted, with a pathetic pleading in his
voice. "Why don't you kick me, too.
| JACKIE"
why don't Il? Because. Boobies,
you have enough of misfortu ne to bear
| without that"
Boobies did not seem to understand,
| but he beamed upon Jack with smile
| of positive beatitude.
Jack" he said. Il like YOU"
4 Tho sfo alton 1nnnfu onH
| there was not house in sight.
Off to the opposite side of the
great mound lay broad wheat
fields, and just after harvest
much of the grain was shipped from
| Jacks little station. At other times
the business done there amounted to
almost nothing. and the trains seldom
stopped unless tagged. Every few
| days one of the mail clerks dropped
off a little. square perfumed envelope
| as the train whizzed past On the re-
turn trip the same clerk was always
on the lookout to reach friendly
hand for the answering letter, adj
dressed to a dear little maid in an
Eastern village.
..Hooi love letters!'' grinned Bob
bles. Il usto carry 'em for Miss Allie.
She allus give me dime for it. Had
to be mighty sly, I tell We. Jest as
sure as them boys found had letter
an dime they'd take the money from
me, an then kick me if didn't hurry
off to the post-office with the letter.
| OH" he added. with an infection
that was intended to convey volumes,
'them was awful boys! They was
allus a-kickin' me for sumpin," he
said, plaintively.
| In little Eastern village dwelt the
blue-eyed, fower-faced girl with whom
Jack Holiday had been a playmate in
the long ago time.
When young Jack left for the West
as many brave-hearted fellow had
done before-to seek his fortune, little
Alice Hale had babe him a fearful
farewell ut the old, weather. beaten
gate, in the shade of the dropping elm
| tree.
just now as he wrote, Jack seemed
to see again the sweet, tear-wet face.
and to inhale once more the perfume
of the odorous, blossom-ladened lilacs.
There had been no formal declara-
ton of love. but each read the heart OF
the other and Jack knew that little
Alice would wait for him till fortune
smiled upon him.
His meager salary, carefully saved.
had been judiciously invested in land,
and had accumulated the nucleus of a
little fortune. At the base of the
great round-topped mound, which was
partly on his tract of land. coal m ne
had been discovered Already Eastern
capitalists had made him an offer for
ii, and it was understood that should
he desire to part with it, the railroad
company would take it off his hands
at goodly advance. Taking all things
into consideration, he felt himself
Justified in writing to Alice and tell.
ing her his love in terms as strong as
could be expressed by soulless pen and
paper.
He smiled softly to himself rs he
wrote and pictured the sweet face o.
the recipient. Somehow the prairie
breeze, that blew in at the released
window, seemed ladened with the per
fume of lilacs. The "clic k-click" Of
the telegraph saunders seemed half
changed to the buzz of the humble
bees that droned lazily around the
fragrant old-fashioned flowers be
meath that old, dropping elm. And
seeing his friend in happy mood, the
idiot boy laughed aloud. he knew no
why. Boobies made little progress after
learning to read. Arithmetic was {
sealed book to him. and geography
was deep. dark mystery. Patiently
Jack 1abored to teach him telegraphy
but the task seemed hopeless one
He learned readily enough. and ap
parently forgot just as speedily.
| Boobies would apparently memoriz'
the dots and dashes that go to MAKE
ND the Morse code. He would SOUND
them correctly on the key, and imme
diately, to all appearances, forget al
about the import of dots and dashes.
| I'm afraid you are q hopeless
case" Jack said one day when al
most ready to give up in despair.
/ Reckon I am" returned Bobbles
| grinning philosophicaliy. odd Jo'